House adjourns three days early, ‘not interested in expanding Medicaid’

TALLAHASSEE — As a $5 billion rift splits the Legislature, the House sent its members home Tuesday with three days left in the legislative session, a rare move that shocked lawmakers, lobbyists and others working at the Capital..

“We have done all we can this session,” House Speaker Stever Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, told his surprised chamber.

Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said the Senate will continue to meet and pass legislation, even though the House is not there to send those bills to the governor.

“We will be here tomorrow, and we will do our job,” Gardiner said.

It’s the first time the House and Senate will adjourn a regular session — known as “Sine Die” — on separate days going back to at least 1972, according to state records.